Abstract

Despite an increasing number of studies on caterpillar (Insecta: Lepidoptera) gut microbiota, bacteria have been emphasized more than fungi. Therefore, we lack data on whether fungal microbiota is resident or transient and shaped by factors similar to those of bacteria. We sampled nine polyphagous caterpillar species from several tree species at multiple sites to determine the factors shaping leaf and gut bacterial and fungal microbiota as well as the extent to which caterpillars acquire microbiota from their diet. We performed 16S and ITS2 DNA metabarcoding of the leaves and guts to determine the composition and richness of the respective microbiota. While spatial variables shaped the bacterial and fungal microbiota of the leaves, they only affected fungi in the guts, whereas the bacteria were shaped primarily by caterpillar species, with some species harboring more specific bacterial consortia. Leaf and gut microbiota significantly differed; in bacteria, this difference was more pronounced. The quantitative similarity between leaves and guts significantly differed among caterpillar species in bacteria but not fungi, suggesting that some species have more transient bacterial microbiota. Our results suggest the complexity of the factors shaping the gut microbiota, while highlighting interspecific differences in microbiota residency within the same insect functional group.

Details

Title
Fungi are more transient than bacteria in caterpillar gut microbiomes
Author
Šigut, Martin 1 ; Pyszko, Petr 2 ; Šigutová, Hana 2 ; Višňovská, Denisa 1 ; Kostovčík, Martin 3 ; Kotásková, Nela 2 ; Dorňák, Ondřej 2 ; Kolařík, Miroslav 3 ; Drozd, Pavel 2 

 University of Ostrava, Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Ostrava, Czech Republic (GRID:grid.412684.d) (ISNI:0000 0001 2155 4545); Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic (GRID:grid.418095.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 1015 3316) 
 University of Ostrava, Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Ostrava, Czech Republic (GRID:grid.412684.d) (ISNI:0000 0001 2155 4545) 
 Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic (GRID:grid.418095.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 1015 3316) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2715005982
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.